Preparation for Ranked PvP

So, you know how you go into Practice PvP to test out treasure cards for ranked PvP/come up with strategies and then go into Ranked PvP when you're ready? Well, it's hard for me. I'm usually matched up with level 50+ and I usually lose the match. Now, I do use treasure cards and heal/shield properly, but it's just hard trying to do that against a high level.. Heh. It just makes me a bit frustrated with PvP, but the people I go against are usually nice and don't boast about their victory. Okay, so, here's what I do when I'm not matched with any higher levels in practice PvP. I have more strategies, but I'm just listing one list.

I stock up on treasure cards (Shields, Accuracy boosts, heals, attacks in my school and in mastery amulet that are powerful, etc.)

I don't talk when I start the match- I feel that they'll look at my gear.

I recently thought about this, since the people can easily shield or weaken the spell of your school, so I thought about getting a few cloaks to cover them up.

I cast my minions as soon as possible.

I shield and Spirit Armor frequently if someone is planning a death blow.

I have a pet that has 4+ Death resist and "May Cast Sprite"

I invite friends to see if they wanna watch the battle! :D (It makes me feel more confident :3) All advice is welcomed! c:

So, you know how you go into Practice PvP to test out treasure cards for ranked PvP/come up with strategies and then go into Ranked PvP when you're ready? Well, it's hard for me. I'm usually matched up with level 50+ and I usually lose the match. Now, I do use treasure cards and heal/shield properly, but it's just hard trying to do that against a high level.. Heh. It just makes me a bit frustrated with PvP, but the people I go against are usually nice and don't boast about their victory. Okay, so, here's what I do when I'm not matched with any higher levels in practice PvP. I have more strategies, but I'm just listing one list.

I stock up on treasure cards (Shields, Accuracy boosts, heals, attacks in my school and in mastery amulet that are powerful, etc.)

I don't talk when I start the match- I feel that they'll look at my gear.

I recently thought about this, since the people can easily shield or weaken the spell of your school, so I thought about getting a few cloaks to cover them up.

I cast my minions as soon as possible.

I shield and Spirit Armor frequently if someone is planning a death blow.

I have a pet that has 4+ Death resist and "May Cast Sprite"

I invite friends to see if they wanna watch the battle! :D (It makes me feel more confident :3) All advice is welcomed! c:

first of all, what school/level/rank are you?

second, here are some tips from me (for mid-level ranked):

1) carry a wand of the opposite school or cleanse charm to remove weakness without losing your buffs.

2) don't talk during the match. you're 100% right: they *will* look at your gear. if my opponent talks during the duel, i do exactly that.

3) you don't necessarily *have* to train cloak. it can help, but cleanse charm is a great counter for people putting anything on you. and there's always shatter or steal ward for the shields... i am fire, so i will let my minion elf or link off any shields before i hit.4) upgrade your pet. get one with proof, defy, fairy, sprite, and pain-giver, if at all possible, though there are other useful talents as well (energizing battery, may cast blade spells, etc).5) stun block, stun block, stun block. this can make the difference between a win and a loss. it's a 0-pip spell, best use of a training point ever, and is quite useful in high-level pve too(bonus: earthquake and shatter do not remove stun blocks).6) spirit armour and infection do not affect death's drains. if you are facing a death wizard, don't use this: always shield instead. and wallpaper them with weakness.7) try to figure out your opponent's strategy early. does he play defensively? have a mastery amulet? is she a bolt-spammer? how much resist does she have? what school is he, and which wand is he using? knowing all of this stuff can save your bacon later on.

for example, if i notice that my opponent is ice and carrying an ice wand, i will wallpaper her with weakness~ it will force her to sacrifice her blades in order to wand it off, or to let her big hit go at -30%.if my opponent likes to heal or has life mastery, i will make several over-time hits (like link or 4-pip hounds): this gives me time to buff and will force him to heal out of the over-time hits, meaning that he'll be completely vulnerable when I hit himwith something bigger.

8) save your pips.

i knocked off a balance warlord earlier by doing just that. i put up wildfyre, got my minion out, and used 0-pip spells through the match: blades, shields, infallible, etc. so, when he hit me, his judge barely made a dent. i had enough pips to heal out of it and still cast my efreet, while he was defenseless.

being pip-less and defenseless is the easiest way to lose in pvp. so never, EVER use an x-pip spell unless you are 100% sure that you can one-shot your opponent.

I stock up on treasure cards (Shields, Accuracy boosts, heals, attacks in my school and in mastery amulet that are powerful, etc.)

>> Use your side deck for quick attacks and to do what your Main deck will not allow you to do. >> Example, I carry Empower in my side deck to remove Feints, etc, because I have no way >> to protect against Feint, Feint, and Shatter.

I don't talk when I start the match- I feel that they'll look at my gear.

>> Good idea, and I would suggest you even close your chat window so that you are not >> trying to respond to friends or reading what people are saying. Leave this for later, >> when you have a good deal of experience.

I recently thought about this, since the people can easily shield or weaken the spell of your school, so I thought about getting a few cloaks to cover them up.

>> Cloaking has two purposes imo, one to confuse the person so they don't know what is above >> their heads. For Example, you put up a Life dispel, a Life Dispel, and then a cloaked >> Balance dispel when you think the wizard may be casting a Judge. The other purpose of >> Cloak is to multiple cards when you reshuffle. Lets say you are across from a Life, so you >> cloak your Life shields, when you reshuffle, you get a lot more Life shields in your deck.

I cast my minions as soon as possible.

>> I only cast my minion for two reasons, one to draw fire from me while I try to heal. Or when >> I have the Wizard low on health, and then I cast the minion. This makes them make a decision,>> Heal or kill the minion. If they kill the minion, then I will have more pips and can keep attacking.

I shield and Spirit Armor frequently if someone is planning a death blow.

>> I would only use weakness instead of armor.

I invite friends to see if they wanna watch the battle! :D (It makes me feel more confident :3)(Fine, but don't talk to them, pay attention to the match).

So, you know how you go into Practice PvP to test out treasure cards for ranked PvP/come up with strategies and then go into Ranked PvP when you're ready? Well, it's hard for me. I'm usually matched up with level 50+ and I usually lose the match. Now, I do use treasure cards and heal/shield properly, but it's just hard trying to do that against a high level.. Heh. It just makes me a bit frustrated with PvP, but the people I go against are usually nice and don't boast about their victory. Okay, so, here's what I do when I'm not matched with any higher levels in practice PvP. I have more strategies, but I'm just listing one list.

I stock up on treasure cards (Shields, Accuracy boosts, heals, attacks in my school and in mastery amulet that are powerful, etc.)

I don't talk when I start the match- I feel that they'll look at my gear.

I recently thought about this, since the people can easily shield or weaken the spell of your school, so I thought about getting a few cloaks to cover them up.

I cast my minions as soon as possible.

I shield and Spirit Armor frequently if someone is planning a death blow.

I have a pet that has 4+ Death resist and "May Cast Sprite"

I invite friends to see if they wanna watch the battle! :D (It makes me feel more confident :3) All advice is welcomed! c:

Okay a couple of things that I hope will help. But also I can help more if I know your level

First, TC is good..I don't use accuracy boosts but you might want to if you are storm. Instead I would use monstrous.

Feel free to talk when you start the match, or in the middle of it if something weird happens. Quite honestly, you will make more friends that way..just be nice when you do talk. The only reason not to is if you have a mastery and you have a transformation you are using to hide it.

Cloak is AWESOME especially in mid-level PvP I use it all the time..I think 3 of my characters that are 10-40 have cloak

Shielding is good, but spirit armor will make enemies..I suggest using it sparingly unless you want to be called a noob (it happens) but at level 30-50 that will be gone in seconds

Work on the pet. It isn't bad for starting out though. I would suggest finding a friend willing to hatch with you that has a universal resist pet.

I like to talk to my friends about the battles that are happening, it helps me be strategic and decide what to do

Thanks everyone for the advice!There's a change that I have now, though. My character was level 26 when I posted this. She's now level 40 and PvP is probably going to be harder now, with the higher levels and the stronger spells.

I have another question now though, lol.

Should I start doing the teaming up sort of PvP or keep soloing?

Since I'm Life, I could probably be the healer of a group. Soloing is kind of hard, since Life has mostly healing spells. My secondary school is also Storm, and Storm fizzles frequently.. But solo is nice because you only have one opponent.

Thanks everyone for the advice!There's a change that I have now, though. My character was level 26 when I posted this. She's now level 40 and PvP is probably going to be harder now, with the higher levels and the stronger spells.

I have another question now though, lol.

Should I start doing the teaming up sort of PvP or keep soloing?

Since I'm Life, I could probably be the healer of a group. Soloing is kind of hard, since Life has mostly healing spells. My secondary school is also Storm, and Storm fizzles frequently.. But solo is nice because you only have one opponent.

Saffron,

On your Life, I would team up, and then do a lot of practice matches, to see how the others play. You don't want to go into ranked with a team that has no experience, or really lacked the ability to jell with a group. Life is great at solo, imo, if you get the right gear and pet. Even though that is true, Life is even better in a group, when they have a fire or storm, and a solid plan.

If your strom wants to pvp, I would go Solo, or with a Life in a group of 3 to 4. Life and a strom alway blend well, especially when the life knows when to attack, and when to save for Heals.